poutine

Definition of poutine

chiefly Canada

: a dish of French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds

Did You Know?

Although the earliest evidence of the word poutine in an English publication is from 1982, historical accounts of the dish itself date to several decades earlier when someone had the brilliant idea to add rural Quebec's much-loved fresh cheese curds to (also much-loved) French fries. Whether the gravy came a few years later or was present ab ovo is disputed. Also unclear is the origin of the word by which the dish is known. Some assert that poutine is related to the English word pudding, but a more popular etymology is that it's from a Quebecois slang word meaning "mess." The dish has in recent years been making inroads on American menus.

Origin and Etymology of poutine

Canadian French

First Known Use: 1982

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